Rediscovering Life
by MrsArmyWife
Summary: It had been years since Raelynn had been back to La Push. Many times she had planned to come with her father, but things had always seemed to get in the way. But now she was back and she was quickly realizing there was much to rediscover.  Jake/OC
1. Chapter 1 Unexpected Goodbyes

REDISCOVERING LIFE

Chapter 1 - Unexpected Goodbyes

Tears at funerals were common. Almost even a standard at the funerals she had been to. Time and time again she had seen the quiet masses gather calmly. Stand solemnly around a casket with tears welling in their eyes as a Pastor spoke words of hope and peace. But never had she seen anyone as distraught and lost as the woman sitting two chairs down from her in a small cemetery just inside of La Push, Washington.

Raelynn glanced once more at the tear drenched faced clinging to her father. She had seen the face a dozen or so times before but it had always been different. The face before her now was shattered and shaking with sobs but the face she remembered as a child had always been smiling and strong. A face that had always greeted her with love and affection now stared right through her without even a glint of recognition. The face of her heartbroken Grandmother.

Her grandmother's black and grey hair blew lightly in the wind as in hung down her back just as it had the few times Raelynn had seen her before, but this time the hair that had seemed so full of life and shine now hung limp and knotted from many tear filled hugs. Raelynn glanced down at her grandmothers once kind and soft hands as they wringed themselves white around a golden band that had rested on her left ring finger for nearly 50 years.

Realynn felt herself choke on tears. She had done so well up to that point. She had held back all the tears and tried to be strong, tried to be the rock her grandmother and father needed. But at the thought of her grandparents marriage and devotion to each other brought her gaze back to her weeping grandmothers face and she too began to cry.

How could she even begin to understand how lonely her grandmother must feel? Even surrounded by all those people; she must be completely and utterly alone. To spend 50 years with someone to be completely devoted to them mind, body and soul. Then one day for them just to be gone without a warning or a chance to say goodbye. Raelynn's heart ached and she let out a sob and turned her gaze to the deep wood of the coffin. How could this have happened? Her grandfather had been in great health and was always careful when he went out to hunt with the younger men in the tribe. He had even bragged a few times how he was a better hunter then half of the younger generation. How could such a silly mistake cost him his life?

Raelynn's mind raced as her tears came pouring out. She reached for her hankie in her purse on the floor next to her and managed to spill the entire contents of her purse on the floor. Through the tears she picked up her wallet and put it back in her purse then she moved her hand back to pick up her cell phone and hankie and found a large deeply tanned hand holding her hankie. She heard her cell phone drop quietly into her purse just as a deep and quiet voice spoke.

"Here you go RaeRae."

Raelynn was shocked to hear such a deep voice saying a nickname she hadn't heard since she was 10. A quick flash of a face passed through her mind; a little boy with soft deep eyes and a smile covered by his blowing tribal hair. Raelynn's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her old friend and she shifted her gaze upward expected to see the little boy she used to play tag with in her grandparents back yard. But instead her heart stopped with what she was greeted with; not a long haired little boy, but a strong toned young man with soft deep eyes and a broken smile.


	2. Chapter 2 Feeling Your Pain

REDISCOVERING LIFE

Chapter 2 - Feeling Your Pain

Raelynn gave the handsome face a small smile and whispered a quiet 'Thank You' and looked at him waiting for a response. A nod, a smile, a breath; anything to make her feel like he had heard her. Anything to make her feel like she was really there. But he was just gazing wide eyed and with his mouth slightly opened; looking right through her. After a few seconds her mind started racing. Was there something on her face? Was there something wrong behind her? What was so terrible that he couldn't even bring himself to acknowledge her?

Feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment, Raelynn turned quickly and hid her face in her hankie and tried to listen to the preacher. A job that before had been difficult with all the emotion of the day was now impossible with the constant feeling like she was being watched.

The last few minutes of the funeral seemed to last an eternity with tears all around her like a symphony. But by the time people began to rise and disperse into small conversation groups, Raelynn's Grandmother had stopped crying and was standing by the dark wood casket slightly shaking. Raelynn's father was talking to someone just behind the casket; a short, sad looking man whom Raelynn assumed was the man from the mortuary. Taking a deep breath Raelynn stood and walked towards her grandmother. She may not have gotten to know her all to well over the years, but she was family and Raelynn could feel her need of support radiating off of her.

A few steps from her destination Raelynn stopped for a moment and listened to her Grandmothers whispers.

"Why did you do this to me…. You promised… I know you had a bad memory but you promised…. 51 years ago when you asked me to marry you.. You old goat… you promised that you would let me die first… so I wouldn't have to bare life without you… what am I going to do now? Who will I be without the other half to my whole…"

Shortly after her last few words she began to silently cry again. Without thinking Raelynn stepped up and laced her fingers through her grandmothers shaking hand. And put on the bravest smile she could manage and looked at her slightly shocked grandmother.

"Were gonna be here for you Grandma."

Her Grandmother smiled back at her and squeezed her hand with a surprising strength considering just seconds before it had been trembling.

"I know, Love. I have just been a long time since I was alone. I have been a wife and mother for most of my life. Now my child is grown and my husband gone… I don't know how to be me anymore."

Raelynn felt an incredible squeeze to her heart and for a moment she felt the utter loneliness and emptiness her grandmother must have been feeling. She wanted to burst into tears but her emotional rollercoaster was halted by her father's voice from across the casket.

"Mother, it's time. Its gonna start raining soon and we have to get dad into the ground while we can."

Raelynn felt her hand be freed from her grandmothers grasp and witnessed her grandmother take a big breathe then walk forward a step and kiss the casket and whisper something then she turned and with shoulders back and a heartbroken look on her face, she marched away from the casket and towards the rental car they had driven there. Raelynn turned and looked at her father and he gave a small sigh and then a smile and spoke in a low voice.

"You go to Raelynn, I am gonna make sure everything is okay here. Most of the guests will be at your grandmothers house already. I will try to make it quick. Get her in the car settled before the sky starts to fall down on us."

"Yes Daddy."

Raelynn moved quickly, not being able to stand the noise of the crane that creaked loudly as it became to hoist her grandfathers casket up of the wood slats across the top of the hole in the ground. Quickly grabbing her purse and jacket from her seat she took a quick glance around as she started towards the car. She quickly noticed that everyone seemed to be gone or leaving already. Well, almost everyone. At the tree line Raelynn could make out 5 or 6 young men talking. At least she assumed they were young men, they were all very large in stature and seemed to carry themselves like they owned the land they were standing on.

Feeling a few sprinkles drop Raelynn quickened her pace to a quick walk. She was almost to the car when she stopped. A feeling of someone watching her flooded her mind and she looked around wildly to see where the threat was coming from. But there was no one around. Even the young men were gone. Raelynn did one more gaze around the area and saw her father walking towards her. She quickly began walking again and got into the back seat of the car with her grandmother.

"Are you okay dear? I saw you stop. You looked frightened." Her grandmother commented with concern in her voice.

"Oh, I'm fine." Raelynn quickly replied. "Just thought I felt someone watching me. I'm sure it was just my imagination playing tricks on me."

Raelynn smiled at her grandmother and she gazed out the back window once more as her father got into the drivers seat. As her eyes hit the tree line once more she saw something standing just behind the bush. To big to be hidden by the small bushes but to far away to be seen clearly. Raelynn closed her eyes to try and refocus but when she opened them again it was gone; whatever it was. Raelynn gave a small jolt as her father started the car off down the road towards her grandmothers house.

**I really enjoy writing this fanfic but I dont wanna waste my time and keep writing it if no one is reading it. _ So before I post the next chapter, I ask for a measly 3 Reviews. just so i know that i have readers and what they think of it! :)**


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